Smoothing Out A Stub

[Bill Wood]

I have no problem smoothing a medium or a fine - but I've received a couple of 1.1 Jowo #6's that need to be adjusted for flow -- then of course had to be smoothed some. Is there a little trick I'm missing -- do you use the same steps to smooth a stub as you would a medium. 1. align the tines 2. test 3. Figure 8's if not smooth enough.

 

Many Thanks -- Bill

[ac12]

align

test

polish and buff. But because it is a stub, you can't roll it side to side, you polish the edges separately.

test

 

never did figure 8s

[Randal6393]

I have several Jowo # 6's 1.1 mm. Yes, the process is somewhat different than doing a ball nib. Refer you to Ludwig Tan's article on grinding an italic nib. More information than you need but must understand the structure of an italic nib, where the sweet spot is, and how to achieve the results you want. From my experience, a factory stub is far from the results I want. However, it usually takes only 20 or 30 minutes of work with a stone or nail buffer to get the results desired. And a bit of tinkering after the initial attempt.

 

Best of luck,

[Bill Wood]

I have several Jowo # 6's 1.1 mm. Yes, the process is somewhat different than doing a ball nib. Refer you to Ludwig Tan's article on grinding an italic nib. More information than you need but must understand the structure of an italic nib, where the sweet spot is, and how to achieve the results you want. From my experience, a factory stub is far from the results I want. However, it usually takes only 20 or 30 minutes of work with a stone or nail buffer to get the results desired. And a bit of tinkering after the initial attempt.

 

Best of luck,

Thanks Randall. I find too that the Jowo 1.1 stubs are exactly what I want. I've narrowed a couple and that went well - but I find I'm always adjusting for flow - realigning the tines - then smoothing out a bit. I just can't get the edge just right.

 

w

[Randal6393]

I have a lot of experience with the Goulet JoWo stubs. A few hints on how to get them smooth: (1) Set up the top and bottom so that they are closely parallel -- as much as you can get them. (2) Make the 45-degree chamfer work for you. This slope determines how the sweet spot works and is needed to get the characteristic thicks and thins of an italic nib. I often smooth the area behind the chamfer to 30 degrees in order to slow down the flow so that too much ink does not come out at any one time. (3) Usually, at this point, the nib will right -- roughly. It will snag and catch because all the edges are so sharp -- in fact, curl over a bit. Smooth on the finest stone you have (or buffer). And do a few strokes, try on the page, then back to smoothing. Try often. Rather than using figure-8's I write a word or two on the stone.

 

Be sure to look at the nib often under magnification. And remember you are trying to create a rectangular sweet spot, not a round one.

 

Best of luck,

 

PS: I have never sharpened a Goulet nib that couldn't be made into a satisfactory writer. Although some do work better than other, of course.

[Tasmith]

I just tuned the 1.1mm nib on my new TWSBI ECO using this method of nib sharpening:

 

 

I would do a few strokes on a black extra fine Arkansas stone (using water as a lubricant), then check with a loupe to make sure I was getting an even grind. Then repeat until I was satisfied everything looked even. Then testing on a piece of paper until I got the line variation I liked.

 

Afterwards, I did a few figure 8's on the gray side (12,000 grit) of a Richard Binder buff stick. Testing the smoothness on a piece of paper as I buffed.

 

To help increase the ink flow, I flossed between the tines a few times with a .002 inch brass sheet.

 

Seems to have worked and I now get very nice line variation.

Edited March 10, 2017 by Tasmith

[Bill Wood]

I have a lot of experience with the Goulet JoWo stubs. A few hints on how to get them smooth: (1) Set up the top and bottom so that they are closely parallel -- as much as you can get them. (2) Make the 45-degree chamfer work for you. This slope determines how the sweet spot works and is needed to get the characteristic thicks and thins of an italic nib. I often smooth the area behind the chamfer to 30 degrees in order to slow down the flow so that too much ink does not come out at any one time. (3) Usually, at this point, the nib will right -- roughly. It will snag and catch because all the edges are so sharp -- in fact, curl over a bit. Smooth on the finest stone you have (or buffer). And do a few strokes, try on the page, then back to smoothing. Try often. Rather than using figure-8's I write a word or two on the stone.

 

Be sure to look at the nib often under magnification. And remember you are trying to create a rectangular sweet spot, not a round one.

 

Best of luck,

 

PS: I have never sharpened a Goulet nib that couldn't be made into a satisfactory writer. Although some do work better than other, of course.

Thanks Randal. Great instructions. I'll give it a go. Not as much experience as you with Goulet Jowo, but I know I don't get what I want when I buy them. Flow is always sparce.

[Bill Wood]

Randal ... I'm having trouble. I don't understand your phrase..

.

"I often smooth the area behind the 45 degree chamfer to 30 degrees in order to slow down the flow so that too much ink does not come out at any one time"

 

Cont'd discussion on smoothing factory 1.1 Jowo. Thanks Randal.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Ol'Grizz (RIP) claimed doing figure 8's caused baby bottom.

 

Rotate the nib.(turn it so you don't get flat spots)....while doing Circles left and right, squiggles up and down, & left and right.....some ten seconds...test. Write Lightly.

 

Do hold the pen like a fountain pen....behind the big knuckle when writing or smoothing. That smooths to your writing angle. By holding it like ball point you are only smoothing the tip....not the main part of the nib.

[Randal6393]

Randal ... I'm having trouble. I don't understand your phrase..

.

"I often smooth the area behind the 45 degree chamfer to 30 degrees in order to slow down the flow so that too much ink does not come out at any one time"

 

Cont'd discussion on smoothing factory 1.1 Jowo. Thanks Randal.

Please ignore unless the pen is too wet for your taste. Not applicable to most sharpenings, got carried away with TMI.

 

Enjoy,

[Bill Wood]

Argh Blech .. Just messed up a Jowo 6 Broad (not my first either) - first cut fine, second cut below very nice - 3rd cut on the tip - squared nicely. Then I think I started my 4th cut a little shallow. Should have started at a 45 degree angle. Wouldn't it be great if you could actually see the nib on the mylar to get that last cut just right!

[Randal6393]

Hi, Bill,

 

This cut is what I was talking about. The pen should work out OK, the 45 degree angle is just what most pens like. Continue on and then fill the pen. Try it out and see if the pen is happy with a shallower angle. Most pens will be but flow may be a bit less. Capillary action depends on the cross-sectional area between the nibs. Again, it's a matter of how happy the pen is about what you did.

 

Enjoy,

 

PS: If you still have tipping material, an unhappy pen should tolerate a re-cut.

[Bill Wood]

Hi, Bill,

 

This cut is what I was talking about. The pen should work out OK, the 45 degree angle is just what most pens like. Continue on and then fill the pen. Try it out and see if the pen is happy with a shallower angle. Most pens will be but flow may be a bit less. Capillary action depends on the cross-sectional area between the nibs. Again, it's a matter of how happy the pen is about what you did.

 

Enjoy,

 

PS: If you still have tipping material, an unhappy pen should tolerate a re-cut.

Spot on Randal. Thank You. I usually create a stub in a couple of ways. I trim a 1.1 jowo down to about .9 then smooth the edges (the easy route) - or I take a broad nib and grind that to a stub; which is actually a little more fun. I work with a dremel for the major cuts; then mylar and smoothing pads for the graduated 45' cut and corners.

[Randal6393]

Agree, Bill. The Broad nib into an Italic is a bit trickier but a lot of fun. Was recently considering whether to replace my Pelikan M200 B -> I nib with an Italic or not. Decided to give it a thorough cleaning first and filled it with Noodler Blue. Well, guess I won't have to spend $70 for a new nib now.

 

Enjoy,

 

PS: That Pelikan was bought in 2002 and has been filled and used pretty much ever since. Still works like new and writes like a dream.

[Bill Wood]

Agree, Bill. The Broad nib into an Italic is a bit trickier but a lot of fun. Was recently considering whether to replace my Pelikan M200 B -> I nib with an Italic or not. Decided to give it a thorough cleaning first and filled it with Noodler Blue. Well, guess I won't have to spend $70 for a new nib now.

 

Enjoy,

 

PS: That Pelikan was bought in 2002 and has been filled and used pretty much ever since. Still works like new and writes like a dream.

Right again Randall, and nibs are such a personal thing. I've got a broad that I ground to a stub and I find it far better than a ready made stub that just arrived in the mail. Thanks for all the instruction.